Our Path
by thelittlestcrane
Summary: They've met numerous times before Tim finally meets Kon. (5/5)
1. Tim Drake and Conner Kent

"Dad, I don't think you're going to be able to get it off."

Tim frowns as his father curses and tosses the car jack to the dirt, standing and kicking the tire with the toe of his expensive dress shoes. Tim holds back a sigh and the urge to remind Jack that it was his fault for wanting to take the back roads to Metropolis for his meeting with Lex Luthor and something about a summer internship for Tim (he _really_ hopes his dad declines the offer because, _hello_, Lex Luthor is a bad guy).

"Damn thing is on too tight!" Jack complains, fishing his cell phone out of his suit and holding it up to the sky.

Tim looks around, squinting into the sunlight as he takes in the scenery. Low lying fields of wheat are sprawled in every direction, though Tim can see the silhouette of a water tower in the distance. "I think we're near a town."

Jack doesn't hear him, "I'm almost out of battery. I have to call Lex and then call a tow. Dammit."

Tim turns the other direction and is met with a line of trees. He spares his irritated father a glance before jogging over to the tree line and slipping past the trunks. The cluster of foliage is short, and Tim emerges only several feet away from where their car is. From this direction, he can see the outline of a barn, seemingly closer than the water tower.

Tim glances over his shoulder and jogs back to the road, "Dad!"

Jack glances at him, obviously in conversation, "What, Tim?"

"There's a barn close by. I'm going to go see if they know where we can get a rental."

Jack nods, focused on his own conversation, "Sure, sure." Tim doesn't think he would have agreed if he was paying attention.

Regardless, he makes his way back through the trees and sets out towards the barn. The walk is easy, thanks to the training he's been undergoing with Batman and Robin, and Tim makes it to the barn in no time at all. He walks around the structure, coming into view of a nice town-house style building, complete with a porch and screen door. Tim nearly smiles at the 'country' of it all.

He hurries up the stairs of the porch, coming to a stop at the door. He glances around the frame, and after failing to locate the doorbell, knocks. Tim hears muffled voices in the house, feminine and masculine, before he hears heavy footsteps. He steps back as the door is pulled open, and he has to hold himself back from staring in unabashed surprise.

Conner Kent is in the doorway, staring down at him, wearing not the Superboy uniform (not that Tim has _met_ Superboy yet), but a pair of jeans and a plaid shirt. _Plaid_. He looks like some kind of farmer model, and he's staring at Tim with a surly frown.

"What?"

Behind him, the feminine voice sounds, "Conner, be _nice_."

Conner seems to hold back a groan, "Sorry, Martha."

"_Ma_."

"Ma," Conner repeats, glancing back at Tim, "How can I _help_ you?"

Tim swallows and wills his heart rate to slow down, "Er…" His questions seem moot now, considering he knows exactly where Conner lives. He's not _stalking_ the meta, he's just…extremely interested in him for…justice. Still, he has to say something. "Is there a place around here to rent cars?"

"What?"

Conner is pushes aside gently and a woman comes into view, one Tim knows from Batman's files as Superman's human mother. Martha Kent. "What happened, dear?"

Tim finds it much easier to talk to her, "My dad was taking the back roads to Metropolis and he got a flat tire. He's not strong enough to change it, so…"

Martha glances at Conner, "Not strong enough? I think Conner here might be."

Conner opens his mouth, no doubt to protest, but is silenced by a stern look. "Er…yeah."

"Why doesn't he follow you back to your car and you won't have to worry about a rental?" Martha smiles warmly, "I think I might have some water bottles in here. It's a hot one today and you look like you could use it."

"Oh, um, that's okay." Tim gives what he hopes is a reassuring smile, "I'm fine. Thank you, though."

"Well aren't you a sweet one?" Martha laughs, "Conner, you could learn some manners from him."

Conner scowls and Tim shrinks back, looking down.

"Now go help them out. When you get back you can start on cleaning out the barn."

"Yes, Martha." He sighs.

"_Ma_."

"Ma."

:::

Conner follows him back through the grass and Tim can practically feel his glare. He doesn't know what he did to make Superboy so mad. Sure, in the news he was never smiling but Tim just figured that was because being a hero was hard. He thought the off-camera Superboy would be more like Clark. Goofy, smiling, and nice.

After a few feet of silence, Conner speaks up, "Are you scared of me?"

Tim glances over his shoulder, "What?"

"You're walking, like, ten feet in front of me and your heart is," Conner cuts himself off, "I mean, you seem on edge."

"No, I-"

Tim is interrupted by a deep yell. He turns his head forward, catching sight of his dad peeking through the line of trees. He waves a hand, letting Jack know he isn't in trouble, and picks up the pace.

They get to the car shortly, and Tim walks around to the tire that's still hissing out air. "Dad, this is Conner. He's going to try and change the tire."

Jack shakes his head, overheated and frustrated. He gestures to the spare lying in the dirt, "Good luck. Things stuck on there like a _mother_."

"Dad!" Tim gapes.

Conner accepts the jack from him, squatting down and getting to work. Tim shakes his head at Jack, glancing down at Conner. He isn't a pervert, but he can't help staring as Conner's arm works, muscles along his back standing out with each movement.

Tim bites his lip, averting his gaze. He's saved from awkwardly staring in silence as his dad attempts to strike up conversation with the meta. He's rewarded with one-word replies and grunts, but the socialite in him doesn't give up, so Tim doesn't have to chime in any time soon.

It takes Conner around ten minutes to make it look like he's actually expending effort on the job, and when he's done he hands the jack back to Tim's dad with a slight frown. He looks somehow more peaceful, though, like doing mindless work helped him calm down a bit. Tim will analyze that later.

"Thanks," And Jack sounds surprised more than grateful.

Conner walks around him, heading back to the line of trees along the road.

"Conner!" Tim yells before he thinks about what he's going to say, and is slightly stumped when Conner actually turns around to face him. "Um…er…"

Conner narrows his eyes in frustration.

"Thank you," Tim finally says, "For, uh, fixing the…tire." He sounds so lame.

"Whatever," Conner mutters, disappearing behind the line of trees.

Tim deflates as Jack starts up the car again. He just ruined his first meeting with his favorite hero. Junior hero. Whatever. Tim frowns as Jack pats him on the back, "Let's get rolling. We're already late."

Tim sighs, "Kind of having a moment, here."

"What moment?"

"Nevermind, Dad. Nevermind."


	2. Tim Drake and Superboy

The bad thing about Gotham is the pretty much inescapable fact that no matter where you are or what you're doing, it's probable that you will be attacked. Tim is used to it by now, thanks to his time as Robin.

Just…not _as_ Tim.

He winces as the cold blade of a knife presses against his throat, held by the masked thug behind him, keeping a tight hold on him with a strong arm. If he was Robin, he would have no trouble breaking the hold and fighting off the gang that's slowly prowling the room. As Timothy Drake, the slip of a boy attending the charity ball as Bruce Wayne's scholarship winner of the year, all he can do is go limp and wait for one of the Gotham vigilantes to break up the raid.

As far as he knows, Nightwing is back at the team's new headquarters, and since Bruce is still off-world, that means Batgirl is on her own tonight. At least the party is on the rooftop of the building, though. It will be much easier for Batgirl to grapple her way there.

"Everybody start emptying your pockets!" The man behind Tim shouts into his ear, "Or this kid goes the ledge!"

Tim pales. The mere thought of going over the roof without a grapple is able to make him feel sick. All that way down…

"Let him go."

Tim can't see who speaks, but the voice is coming from above. A quiet murmur runs through the crowd of civilians and Tim can hear excited whispers. "It's Blue Beetle!" "In Gotham?" "Thank god!" and the ever cliché "We're saved!"

He hears the thug curse behind him as a few more people from the team land on the roof, heading towards the other members of the gang. The knife is removed from his throat, and suddenly he's being shoved to the side and over the edge of the roof. The sense of vertigo he gets is nothing like from jumping with a grapple in hand. This is stomach-clenching and terrifying. The chill of the night nips at his skin as he falls, scream on the tip of his tongue, only held back from his firm training.

Before he hits the ground, something large and dark barrels into his side, knocking the air from his lungs (but much, much better than hitting the pavement). Whatever (whoever) catches him lands on the roof of another building, one not nearly as tall as the building he fell from. "You okay?"

Tim freezes, looking up at his savior, "_Superboy_?" He squeaks, completely undignified, and completely embarrassed. He doesn't know much about the boy from what little they've worked together, and he knows there's no way Superboy knows who he is, but he has never been this close to him before, and he's _warm_ and-

Tim scrambles out of Superboy's arms, feet touching solid concrete. Superboy looks confused, and maybe a little hurt that Tim seems so eager to get away from him. He rubs the back of his neck, "I didn't hurt you did I? I'm still working on my strength and I had to jump to get you, so."

Tim tries to calm his heart, tries to pull up the Timothy persona that makes it easy to talk to anyone, and ultimately flounders. "No, I. I mean, you didn't. It's better than the alternative, anyway."

Superboy nods curtly, getting into what looks like a running-start position. He runs for the edge of the building, skidding to a stop when Tim yells, "Wait!"

"What?" Superboy looks irritated, though it isn't too far from his usual expression.

"You're not going to leave me here, are you?" Tim blinks, "I mean, I need to be up there."

"You want to go _back_ to the fighting? They pushed you off the roof."

"My dad is up there." Tim replies, "What if he thinks I died?"

Superboy doesn't seem to know how to respond, eventually nodding to himself and folding his arms. "Can you hold on if I jump?" He jerks his thumb to his back.

Tim nods, "I think so." He knows so.

"Alright, uh…"

"Timothy," He supplies helpfully.

"Alright, Timothy. Make it quick."

:::

When Superboy sets him down on the roof, most of the thugs are unconscious. Tim catches a brief glimpse of Batgirl taking out their police signal from her belt before Jack is at his side, checking for cuts or bruises or anything wrong.

As Tim reassures his father, the team finishes zip-stripping them. Impulse knocks fists with Blue Beetle, laughing when the armor along his arms shivers in retaliation to the carefree action. The bioship hovers over the roof, and Tim catches Nightwing's eye(lets) through the front window. He offers a slight shrug to Nightwing's head shake, finally quelling his father's panic as the team starts boarding the ship to leave.

Tim glances between his dad and the retreating heroes, making his decision just before Superboy makes it to the hatch.

"Superboy!"

The young hero pauses, turning back curiously as Tim walks around one of the unconscious thugs towards him. Tim ignores the fact that the bioship is full of his teammates, at least two of which know who he is just by looking, in favor of putting his hands on Superboy's shoulders. He moves to his toes, tilting his head just slightly, and pressing his lips to the meta's.

He doesn't intend for it to be a long kiss, especially with his dad waiting on him, so he pulls away before Superboy can relax and licks his lips reflexively, "Thank you for saving me."

"It-" Superboy actually looks flustered, and Tim thinks it's the first time he's seen the boy anything but mad or brooding, "It's my _job_."

"Still," Tim removes his hands, "Thanks."

He turns, heading back for the crowd. A few of them are staring, and Tim wonders if he'll have to deal with newspaper headlines in the morning. He's sure he'll hear about this from Dick (and eventually Bruce, oh god will that be mortifying) later, but right now he's too satisfied to care.


	3. Robin and Superboy

The cave is quiet when Robin finally makes his way to the computers. It was a long patrol, made more difficult by the lack of Nightwing's presence on the streets. Robin is fairly sure that once Batgirl gets ahold of him, he'll regret skipping out on them.

He climbs into the large computer chair, slumping into the leather with a tired sigh. He should really think about getting some sleep considering there's a team meeting tomorrow, but he doesn't feel like climbing up the stairs just yet.

Robin reached up to pick at the corners of his domino when someone clears their throat. He spins the chair, readying his body for a pounce. Robin freezes when he sees just who is standing in front of him.

"Superboy?"

The meta frowns, shifting his weight, and folds his arms. "Where's Nightwing?"

Robin gapes at his older (should Superboy even be considered older?) teammate, "How did you get in here?" If his voice squeaks, Superboy doesn't mention it.

"Superman. Before he left the planet, in case Nightwing needed a hand."

Robin blinks behind his mask, fingers curling on the arms of the chair, "Uh. Nightwing isn't here."

"Do you know when he'll be _back_?"

Robin swallows nervously at the tone. It's not that he thinks Superboy is being rude on purpose, he always sounds like that, but it's a little intimidating to think that the object of his mega-crush doesn't really care about him. No, not intimidating. Sad. "No, I don't."

Superboy makes a small noise caught between a sigh and scoff, turning on his heel and heading for the waterfall.

"Um, did you need something?"

Superboy pauses, turning back, his expression guarded.

"I mean, maybe I can help?" Robin shrugs, "I'm pretty good at computers. Better than Nightwing was when he was Robin. I, uh…don't tell him I said that, please."

Superboy frowns, taking a few steps forward, "I need something hacked. Can you do that?"

"Yeah," Robin straightens a little, "Should be a breeze."

Superboy surveys him for a moment before moving back towards the console. He reaches in his back pocket, drawing out a simple black smart phone. "The contacts are all blocked by some kind of –"

He trails off as Robin leans forward to grab the phone from him. He may be skittish around the meta normally, but wave technology in his face and he changes gears. He can understand technology, and though he's better at detective work than tech at the moment, he's learning the ropes pretty quickly.

Superboy is silent as he swivels to face the computer once more. He sets the phone on one of the scanners, activating the voice control on the mainframe, "Computer, scan for malicious content."

The mechanical voice replies, "Scanning now."

Behind him, Superboy speaks up, "You aren't going to ask whose phone it is?"

"Well…whoever it belongs to, I think you probably had a reason to take it." He pauses, 'You _did_ have a reason, right?"

"Yeah," Superboy sounds distant. When Robin glances behind him, Superboy is glancing around the cave. As his eyes rest on The Case, Robin's shoot back to the computer screen.

"Scanning complete. No malicious content detected. Ready for connection."

"Thank you," Robin removes the phone from the pad, pulling one of the permanent USB's closer and hooking it to the phone.

"Did you just thank the computer?"

Robin flushes, glad he's turned away from Superboy, "So?"

"…nothing." Superboy sounds suspicious, or maybe confused.

Robin thins his lips, pushing down an embarrassed whine. Instead, he focuses on the task before him. He pulls up the hacking program on the mainframe and lets it run, leaning back in the chair as it extracts all the files from the phone and begins to decrypt them.

"What's with the giant dinosaur?"

Robin looks over, resting his chin on his palm, "I don't know. Nightwing keeps saying he'll tell me the story someday, but he never does. I don't think he knows either."

Superboy glances to him, "You know, you talk a lot more when the team isn't around."

Robin ducks his head, red tingling his cheeks, "I…sorry."

"What are you sorry about?"

"I just…I mean, I don't have." Robin frowns, "I don't really fit in with the team. There's not much to say."

"You newbies don't all hang out together?"

Robin shrugs, "Blue Beetle has Bart and M'gann has Lagaan and Gar. Wondergirl mostly hangs out with Bee or Batgirl."

Superboy frowns but doesn't say anything else. Robin turns back to the computer, dragging all the files to the printing icon on the desktop. Within minutes, the files are warm and waiting in a neat stack by the printer.

As Superboy collects them, Robin resets the phone to before the hack, unplugging it and cleaning out the computer files. Nightwing doesn't need to see that he's been using the computer to do work in his free time. Nightwing already thinks he works too much as it is.

He holds the phone out to Superboy, staring at the ground until the meta takes it.

"Why are you on the team if you don't like it?"

Robin looks up, "What do you mean?"

"Well you said you don't hang out with anyone. So why don't you tell Nightwing you want to quit the team?"

Robin stares for a moment before shrugging, "Nightwing says there should always be a Robin on the team. Like the Starks and Winterfell."

For a moment, he doesn't think Superboy gets the reference. The slight twitch of his lips counts as at least a miniscule victory. "If the Bats are the Starks, what does that make the Supers?"

"You remind me of a Khal," Robin replies without thinking. When he realizes what he said, he bites his lip, cheeks flushing hotly. "Sorry."

"Hey, it's not an insult." Superboy shrugs, "The Dothraki are, uh, _crash_."

Robin grins at the tentative use of Bart's lingo, "Better than a Stark?"

"I don't know, I think-" Superboy pauses, seeming to remember something, "I should go. I need to finish this," He waves the phone by his leg, "before I go back to the Watchtower."

"Right. Um. Glad I could help." Robin retreats in on himself a little, inner nerd curbed.

Superboy turns around, heading to the waterfall exit with the stack of papers and the phone. He pauses before he leaves, glancing over his shoulder.

"You know, if there's a slow day once we have another place up and running, and you don't have anyone to hang out with, we could have a marathon or something."

A tiny bead of hope blooms in his chest and Robin can't help the smile that tugs at his mouth, "Really?"

Superboy shrugs, "Sure."

"Uh, cool." Robin shifts, causing his cape to fall around him like a blanket, "I'd like that, Superboy."

"Right, well, thanks for this." He kicks once at the ground, "I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll see you." Robin waits until he feels that Superboy is sufficiently far from the cave to start doing his nerdy little victory dance, finishing with a jump and landing on the chair with both feet, causing it to spin slowly.

A slow, amused voice stops him, "Robin, what are you doing?"

"Um…._heeeyyy_ Nightwing."

This would be interesting to explain.


	4. Robin and Conner Kent

Sometimes Conner will take a trip to Metropolis to spend time with Lois (to 'bond' with his 'family' _and_ to make sure she stays out of trouble), one of Clark's requests before he had to go to trial in space. Conner likes the woman, and she seems to view him as a little brother-in-law, so it usually works out. Sometimes she'll have him tag along to the Daily Planet and read all the gag-me stories about Superman for something to do, other times she'll give him some money and he'll wander around the city until she gets off work.

Usually Conner welcomes the reprieve from the team. It's a chance to get away from M'gann and Lagaan, and a place for him to do some heavy thinking. Lately, though, the team hasn't been so bad. When they have down time, when everyone else partners off and goes to hang out, he's been spending a lot of time with Robin. They alternate between training and watching television, and though both are a little monotonous, Conner is more relaxed with Robin than he is with anyone else on the team.

And like most people on the team, Conner's identity is no secret. Robin knows who he is, inside and outside the costume. In fact, the Bats are the only ones who keep their names secrets at this point, even if Bart _is_ trying to get them to tell everyone else.

So it doesn't surprise him as much as it should when he finds Robin on the roof of the Daily Planet, sitting dangerously close to the edge, legs hanging over the side, an open box of miniature brownies next to him.

"Do I even want to know how you knew I was here?" Conner asks as he sits next to the open package, further back from the edge than Robin. He may be able to take the fall, but he has no desire to test the theory.

"The mission finished early," Robin replies, pushing the package towards him, "I think Wolf wanted to come but that would have been a little too strange for Metropolis. How's Lois?"

"You know Lois too?"

"Batman has a file on her in the mainframe. I think it has something to do with keeping tabs on Superman, but I don't know."

Conner takes one of the pieces, popping it in his mouth, "What kind of mission did 'Wing send you on?"

"Just reconnaissance. That's all he's been sending the newbies on since Mount Justice was destroyed." Robin frowns at the air, "With Bart and Lagaan. It wasn't exactly the best team for a _stealth_ operation." He shrugs, changing subjects, "So how's Metropolis?"

"Boring," Conner replies immediately, "I don't think there's been an attack on the city since I got here."

"Isn't that a _good_ thing?" Robin gives a small grin.

"I don't have anything to do while Lois is working."

"Take a trip to Gotham," Robin frowns again, "There's always bad stuff happening there. Penguin broke out again, Catwoman seems to be switching sides now that Batman isn't around, and some new vigilante is killing his way through the underworld."

"I think I'll stick with Metropolis, in that case." Conner takes another snack, "I don't know how you guys operate in that city."

Robin shrugs, "You get used to it. Even the civilians don't get surprised anymore. It's why tourists are so easy to pick out."

They fall into an easy silence, broken only when one of them picks out a brownie from the package to eat. After a long while, Robin is the one that ends it, tentatively, "So…do you like anyone?"

"What?" Conner coughs.

"Well, it's what friends talk about, right?" Robin's heart is beating loud enough for Conner to hear, though he can't tell if it's because he's embarrassed or lying. "We're friends…aren't we?"

Conner blinks, "Well. Yeah, but. I don't talk about that stuff."

"Oh. Um, sorry, I." Robin deflates, "I forgot."

"Forgot what?"

The question seems to make Robin even more uncomfortable, "Well, you dated M'gann for a long time. I forgot you don't like talking about stuff like that because…of what happened with her."

Conner frowns.

"Um," Robin bites his lips, which looks strange since Conner can't see where his eyes are looking, "It might not be my place but…people always say that you can't get over your first love, but that doesn't mean that you'll never have another one."

Conner folds his arms. He's heard the phrase. Still, coming from Robin. Maybe it is true. And it's not like he is still in love with M'gann. Well, maybe he is, but he can't forgive her. Not for what she did and what she tried to do. So maybe Robin's logic is better.

"What about you?" He finally asks.

"What about me?"

"Do you like anyone?" Conner lifts a thick eyebrow.

"Oh!" Robin's cheeks tinge pink, "Uh. Um. Well, I."

"It's just a question."

Robin moves just enough for his cape to fall around his body like a shield, and not for the first time Conner wonders if that isn't the main function. "Yes." He relies quietly, "I do. But I don't think I have much of a chance with y-_them_."

"Why not?" Conner frowns, "I mean, you're Batman's protégé, right? Shouldn't you have a bit more confidence in yourself?"

"Just because you say it doesn't mean I do." Robin's frown mirrors Conner, "Besides, it's not going to matter. They don't know me outside of Robin."

"…so introduce them."

"That's against the rules."

"Give them hints?"

"Against the rules."

"Tell them a fake name they can use instead."

"I…I think that's against the rules too."

"You Bats really have a thing about secret identities, don't you."

"It's…not my decision." Robin shrugs, "Besides, I don't really mind if they don't like me the same way. I'm fine just spending time with them."

"Well, by that logic, shouldn't you go spend time with them instead of talking to me? Aren't I…curbing you? Is that the term?"

Robin stares at him, mouth hanging slightly open. If Conner didn't know better, he'd think Robin was offended.

"I. I'm not going to ditch you!"

"It's not a big deal." Conner shrugs.

"I'm not going to ditch you!" Robin repeats, more forceful.

Before Conner can reply, he hears the communicator from Robin's ear go off. He doesn't listen in, waiting for Robin to relay the message. He listens to the short replies Robin gives, the 'uh-huh's and the 'I understand's. Finally, the younger (older? Conner isn't sure which term to use here) boy turns to Conner.

"Um. I'm not ditching you, but there's a bank heist a few blocks from here." Robin stands, fishing his grapple from his side, "This isn't me ditching you though. Really."

Conner waves a hand, "It's fine. Go. Leave the brownies."

Robin takes a small step, turning so his back is facing Conner. He speaks, voice somehow soft and loud at the same time, "I'll tell them who I am someday. I just have to find the right time."

"Well, good luck." Conner shrugs. A little bubble in his stomach protests at the words but he can't think of why.

"I guess I'll go stop the robbery now."

"You probably should."

Robin sways, still turned away from him, "Do you want to come?"

Conner thinks it over pretty quickly, "Meet you there?"

When Robin glances over his shoulder, he's grinning, "_Beat_ you there."

Conner laughs, something he's finding he does a lot more around Robin these days, "We'll see about _that_."


	5. Tim and Kon

**Phew. Got it out before the episode aired. It's 3 AM where I live and I need sleepy time.**

**The final part. I quite enjoyed writing super awkward, super cute Tim. I'll have to do this again some time.**

* * *

Tim's been to the farm hundreds of times before.

He's just never been there as Tim before, always Robin. But now, now the whole aliens incident is over and Bruce is on his way back, and things are finally starting to make sense again, Tim made his decision. If he has to pinpoint it, the decision was probably made somewhere between him awkwardly kissing Superboy during the last big showdown with The Light (he thought it might have been the last time he would be able to do it, so you can't _blame_ him) and the definitely not imagined feel of Superboy kissing back.

Since then, though, they haven't gotten a chance to actually sit down and talk. So. Tim's here to talk. As Tim.

When he first steps off the R-cycle (a belated present considering his birthday was pushed aside for the more pressing matters of an _alien invasion_), Wolf is curled at the foot of the stairs to the porch. When he hears Tim approach, his head lifts and he begins to growl in warning.

Tim squats down, holding out his hand. Wolf gets up and trots over, taking a cautious sniff. He recognizes Tim the minute he smells him, tail wagging and sitting down so Tim can bestow the usual rubbing behind his ears. "Hey, Wolf. Is Conner home?"

"_Hey_!" Tim looks up at the yell, watching as Conner pushes past the screen door and jogs down the steps, "Wolf, _heel_."

Wolf just tosses his head at the command, as if he can't believe Conner would think he's going to attack Tim. As Conner gets closer he slows to a stop, confusion written on his face. Tim wonders if Wolf attacks passerbys often, but that isn't why he's here. He stands, folding his hands behind him so they aren't hanging awkwardly at his side.

"Hi."

Conner eyes him with a frown, "Hi." He repeats bluntly, "Who are you? Are you here selling something? Ma's not here, so don't bother."

Tim glances down at his outfit, a pair of dark jeans and a simple blue shirt, and he briefly wonders how he looks anything like a salesperson before shaking his head, "No. I'm not here selling anything. Actually, um, I'm here to talk to you."

Conner blinks.

"Conner." Tim adds. "Please."

Conner frowns as Tim walks around him, heading towards the house. "How do you know my name?"

Tim pauses, "Well, I'm Robin. I know everything."

That, at least, makes Conner listen.

:::

"So…_you're_ Robin?" Tim blinks, looking around Conner's room in interest. After the meta lead him to the second floor of the barn, he'd taken up a post leaning against one of the many support beams holding up the roof, arms folded, watching Tim wander around the floor.

"Yeah. Most people expect…more, I guess." Tim shrugs, "But I'm it, really."

"That's not what I meant, I mean." Conner's eyes narrow, "Do I _know_ you from somewhere?"

Tim laughs, borderline nervously, "We've met a few times, actually. Erm." He clears his throat and turns to Conner formally, "I'm Tim. Timothy Jackson Drake. I've known that you were Superboy since…well, since you went public with the team, really."

Conner seems ready to interrupt.

"Wait. Um. Let me finish, or I'll lose my nerve." Tim takes a breath, "Okay. When the team first went public, you and Robin and Aqualad and Kid Flash, I was ecstatic. There had never been a team of kids around my age fighting bad guys before, so I did a little research and a lot of hacking and since I already knew who Dick, erm, I mean _Nightwing_ was then, it wasn't hard to figure out the rest.

Anyway, once I joined the team, and actually met you all, it was…different. I'm horrible at social stuff unless it's for my parents' company or mission related, so I probably acted scared of you for a while. Which is funny, because you've asked me that a few times before. Um. I just, I wanted to tell you who I was. Because I know who you are and. Well, we survived. And I promised I would. So. That's me." Tim nods. "Okay. Okay, you can talk."

Conner takes a moment to gather his thoughts, "When have we met before?"

Tim taps the back of the computer chair by Conner's desk before pulling it out and sitting (he tried very hard not to let his gaze drift to the bed adjacent to him), if only to stop himself from pacing, "I've been here once. You fixed a tire on my dad's car. That was before I joined the team, when I was just starting as Robin. Then, uh, you saved me from falling off a roof."

"You _kissed_ me!"

Tim flushes, "You kissed _back_."

"No, I mean, I did, but I mean then. When I caught you." Conner shifts, "You knew who I was?"

"Ah…yeah."

"Then…that day on the roof. A few weeks ago?" Conner stops leaning against the post, "You were talking…about me?"

Tim's eyes flick to the floor, "I…yes. I was talking about you." He looks back up, "I like you, Kon. I _really_ like you, and I just. I just wanted you to…to know who I was. And to know how I feel." He swallows, faintly wondering if Conner is listening to his heartbeat, "So…now you know."

Conner moves, sitting on his mattress so he's level with Tim. "What's Kon?"

Tim's mouth drops open, "From all of that, _that's_ what you ask?"

Conner doesn't respond.

"Okay. Um. It's what I call you. I mean, when I think about you. Like, not in a creepy way," He rushes, "just, when I think about the team. I think of you as Kon."

"Like a nickname?"

"Um. I guess? I just…like it better than Conner. Not that Conner is a _bad_ name, but…well, you always seemed so upset around, uh, _her_ and she gave you that name so I started referring to you differently." Tim slouches, "I'm babbling. Sorry."

"It's fine," Conner says faintly, "Does anyone else call me that?"

"No." Tim toes the wood beneath his feet, "Just me."

Conner hums, lapsing into a silence. To Tim, it doesn't feel like the other times when they go quiet. It's tense, and he feels like the first word that comes from Conner's mouth is going to break him. This was a bad idea. Stupid. He still has to work with Conner after this, and even if he quits the team, he'll see Conner around eventually.

"I…" Tim presses his lips together, "I'll go. If you want me to."

"No, it's. I'm trying to think about this. With…M'gann, I just rushed into things, and that was a mistake, and I don't want to make that mistake again. But I _did_ kiss you back. Which probably means I like you, I'm just too paranoid, no, _bitter_ to realize it."

"You're not a bitter person," Tim denies, "You probably just don't like me. I didn't expect you to, I just wanted-"

"Would you stop that?" Conner frowns.

"Stop…what?"

"Putting yourself down like that. You don't have enough faith in yourself, Robin. Tim." Conner shakes his head, "Why _wouldn't_ someone like you? You're a good person, and you're smart and from everything _I've_ seen you're selfless and brave, too. You're not _unworthy_ of someone liking you. I'm just trying to figure out why _you'd_ like _me_."

"But it's the _same_." Tim frowns at the floor, eyebrows furrowing, "You're brave and you _always_ put the team before your feelings, even when it hurts. You're smart too, and you're kind and you can be gentle with Wolf and Sphere and you always help out the freshmen on the team even if it's something they should know and." Tim takes a breath, "_You're_ worthy of _everything_."

Conner stares, slightly stunned by Tim's outburst, "Well. What do we do?"

"I…" Tim wants to say he doesn't know, but if Conner. If Kon's giving him a chance, he's going to take it. "I want you to like me back. I don't care if we ever go out or tell anyone. I just want…you to feel the same."

"What if…I'd _like_ to go out with you?" Conner ventures, "I can't promise that we'd never have problems, or that we'd come out of this unscathed, but…well, if we both _like_ each other, I'd like to actually go out. Tell people. Is that something _you'd_ want?"

Tim nods, "I want that. I mean, I want a lot. I'd be okay with whatever you want."

"Well, I think I'd want you to want it too."

"I would. I do." Tim swallows, "I would really like it."

"It's not like we have to jump into anything anyway. We can take it slow. Get to know each other. I…I don't like secrets. I know that there will be _some_, but I-"

"If I don't have to keep something secret, I won't. I trust you." Tim replies swiftly, "I want to be honest with _somebody_ in my life, and if it's you then that's even better."

Conner moves to the edge of the bed, holding out his hand. Tim blinks at it a few times before taking it slowly.

"Then we give this a try."

Tim nods.

"We go slow."

"Right."

"We can tell the team, if you want."

"Um. I should probably tell Bat…Bruce first. But okay."

"We _don't_ intentionally hide things from each other."

Tim nods, "We trust each other."

Conner nods. "Then…Tim, do you want to date me? Erm. I mean, do you want to go out with me?"

Tim nods, giving a small smile, "I do. A lot. Do you want to go out with me?"

"Yeah. I do." Conner squeezes his hand, "and if you want to call me Kon, I wouldn't mind."

"In public?"

"Yeah."

"With the team?"

"Them too." Conner sounds amused.

"Okay," Tim smiles wider, shyly, "Kon. We can figure it out together, then."

Kon can't help but grin back at him. "Yeah. We can. We'll be like the World's Finest 2.0."

"Like Robb and Jon."

"Like Drogo and Dany."

"_Not_ like Drogo and Dany! He dies in the first season, geez!"

"Fine, fine." He relents. "Like Tim and Kon."

Tim blushes faintly, "Yes. Like Kon and Tim."

The rest is unspoken. Like Robin and Superboy. Like Conner and Tim. Like Robin and Conner. Like Timothy and Superboy. Like _them_. Like _Us_.

Together.


End file.
